Donte Whitner

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat just posted the sidebar I wrote for their Sunday paper. It’s on Donte Whitner’s tone-setting knockout hit on New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas on the opening drive of Saturday’s 36-32 Niners win. I spoke to Whitner in a group and one-on-one afterward in the locker room and he had very interesting things to say about the play. To read my article, click here.

Here are my divisional playoff grades for the Niners, who beat the Saints 36-32 and will play in the NFC Championship game next weekend. Alex Smith: A+. Let’s get the negatives out of the way first – he didn’t play well in the middle of the game. Ok, now that we’ve established that, let’s talk about the positives. He made two plays to win the game. The first was the…

SANTA CLARA – Rejoice! Here’s ten minutes more of Donte Whitner’s Thursday group interview that you didn’t even know existed. Q: Do you have a sense Harbaugh always has your back? WHITNER: “Yeah, and those are the head coaches that you like. Like Rex Ryan, he will never throw his players under the bus and he puts all the pressure on himself. Coach Harbaugh does the same thing. A lot…

SANTA CLARA – Donte Whitner spoke for a long time at his locker this afternoon. Here are a lot of quotes from that group interview. Q: All the come from behind wins and the wins on the road – can you look to those for some guidance in place of the playoff experience this roster lacks? WHITNER: Yeah, it’s really handling adversity, understanding that you’re going to be put in…

This falls under the “For What it’s Worth” category. Donte Whitner, who played for the Buffalo Bills with Terrell Owens in 2009, lobbied for the Niners to sign the once-great wide receiver this morning on twitter. T.O. started the correspondence by tweeting this to Whitner: “Let em know if they need me I’m ready homie!! I’m ready 2 take em deep!!” Whitner then responded with this tweet: “I know u…

SANTA CLARA – The honorable Donte Whitner spoke at his locker this afternoon to a group of reporters about his former Buffalo Bills teammate, Marshawn Lynch. Here’s what Whitner said. Q: You guys have been great against the run, and now you face Marshawn Lynch. Talk a little about him. WHITNER: I played with Marshawn up in Buffalo for four years, so I know the things that he can do….

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s Thursday afternoon press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. [LB] Patrick [Willis] was talking about the goal line stand that you guys had in Baltimore a week ago, how he was able to call out the drop there with QB Joe Flacco in, said that was something you showed them on film, even though Baltimore hadn’t run it all season….

SANTA CLARA — This afternoon in the locker room I asked Donte Whitner about the Niners run defense, and here’s what he said. Q: Is this the best run defense you’ve ever seen? And what makes it so special? WHITNER: I think it is the best run defense I’ve ever seen. My perspective is like this: I came from Buffalo last year. We gave up I think almost eight two…

SAN FRANCISCO – About a week and a half ago John Madden said on the radio that the NFL should discontinue Thursday night football games because they’re unfair for players. They don’t get enough rest between games, so the Thursday night game becomes dangerous. I asked Vernon Davis and Donte Whitner, two of the team’s spokesmen, if they agree with Madden. Here’s what they said. Q: Vernon, do you agree…

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of Donte Whitner’s Wednesday Q&A. Q: Does this game tell you where you guys stand? WHITNER: I feel like the Giants are a good football team. Both teams equally, we both need this football game. But I don’t feel like it’s going to define who we are because it doesn’t matter if you go in there and win by 10 or lose by 1,…

SANTA CLARA – Donte Whitner talks slow and low like he’s your grandfather. But on the football field he’s a completely different person. Whitner explained this phenomenon to me today in the 49ers locker room. GC: Do you have two different personalities? WHITNER: You have to. If you take your aggressive personality home to your wife and your kids there’s going to be some trouble in the household. Your kids…

SANTA CLARA – Here is the transcript of Vic Fangio’s press conference from this afternoon, courtesy of the 49ers. How do you expect to use your third corner back this week, third corner? Who do you expect it to be and how do you plan to use them? “I think it will be kind of similar to what it’s been lately. [CB] Shawntae [Spencer] is improving, he’s still not 100…

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the transcript of today’s Q&A with Donte Whitner from the Niners locker room. Q: Was your coach a hot topic amongst your friends and family when you went home this weekend? WHITNER: Yeah, it’s still a hot topic, especially when they show it (the handshake) so many times on ESPN and all these places. Q: Where were you last week? WHITNER: I was in Cleveland and…

SANTA CLARA — In case you don’t follow Donte Whitner on twitter, here’s what he wrote this morning: “I’m looking forward to covering ZACH MILLER this Sunday. I hear that he’s one of the best at his position. & they say I can’t cover TE’s..” Whitner expanded on his twitter comment today at his locker. He explained that part of the reason he’s so confident is because he gets to…

SAN FRANCISCO – Here are in-game quotes from Donte Whitner, courtesy of the 49ers. Evaluate the defensive performance overall: “Overall we got three turnovers in the first half. We had two penalties on third down in the first half that could have ended scoring drives or ended on four-and-one. We had an interception by S Dashon Goldson that was negated by a penalty. So, we’re doing a lot of good…

SANTA CLARA – Here’s the complete transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s post-practice press conference, courtesy of the 49ers. On whether he has a different perception on the look of his team compared to last week: “We’ve added some new players, it’s changed that way. I wouldn’t say any dramatic change. The guys have come in and worked and have been very hungry throughout the training camp. I think it’s just been…

Adam Schefter reports the 49ers have signed two free agents today – wide receiver Braylon Edwards and strong safety Donte Whitner. The 28-year-old Edwards just confirmed via twitter that he will sign with the 49ers. He wrote, “It’s official #Team17 we have moved to the bay. I’m a proud member of the San Francisco 49ers.” Team17 is his fanclub – he wears No. 17. His deal is reported to be…

Inside the 49ers: Grant Cohn

I cover the San Francisco 49ers year-round for The Press Democrat in Santa Rosa. Argue with me, agree with me, or just read the posts and follow the conversation. I've been a contributor to several other regional and national sports websites, and I also write two online columns a week for pressdemocrat.com, which are posted on this site as well.